IN SENATE. Friday, February 4, 1853. "Congressional Globe," 82d Congress, 2d Session, p. 499.) Mr. Hunter, from the joint committee appointed on the 31st of January last, to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, and notifying the persons elected of their election, reported the following resolution, which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to. Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday the 9th inst., at 12 o'clock, and the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the presiding officer; that one person be appointed a teller on the part of the Senate, and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate pro tempore who shall announce the state of the vote and the persons elected to the Houses assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declaration of the persons elected President and Vice-President of the United States, and, together with a list of the votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses. On motion, it was ordered that the teller be appointed by the President pro tempore, and Mr. Hunter was appointed. IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, February 4, 1853. ("Congressional Globe," 82d Cong., 2d Session, p. 509.) Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. I rise to what I conceive to be a question of privilege. I submit the following report from the joint committee appointed to examine and report a mode for counting the votes for President and VicePresident of the United States. I do not ask action on it now, but only that it shall be read and informally passed over until we receive a message from the Senate announcing its adoption by that body: Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the Chamber of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the 9th instant, at 12 o'clock, and the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the presiding officer; that one person be appointed a teller on the part of the Senate, and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate pro tempore, who shall announce the state of the vote and the persons elected to the two Houses assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declaration of the persons elected President and Vice-President of the United States, and, together with a list of the votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses. Here a message was received from the Senate of the United States, by the hands of Asbury Dickins, Esq., its Secretary, informing the House that the Senate had passed the following resolution, viz.: Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the Chamber of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the 9th instant, at 12 o'clock, and the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the presiding officer; and one person be appointed teller on the part of the Senate, and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate pro tempore, who shall announce the state of the vote and the persons elected to the two Houses assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed and Vice-President of the United States, and, a declaration of the persons elected President together with a list of votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses. Ordered, That Mr. Hunter be the teller on the part of the Senate. Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. I ask if that message from the Senate is not a question of privilege, which takes precedence of a mere privileged question? The SPEAKER. The Chair thinks it is a question of privilege. Mr. JONES. The message from the Senate is the report of the joint committee appointed to ascertain and report the mode of counting the votes for President and Vice-President, which I. presented to the House this morning. I move that the resolution be concurred in. The motion was agreed to, and the resolution of the Senate was concurred in. Mr. JONES. I move that the Speaker of the House appoint the two tellers, on the part of the House, provided for in that resolution. The motion was agreed to, and The Speaker thereupon appointed Messrs. Jones, of Tennessee, and Chandler, as tellers on the part of the House. IN SENATE. Saturday, February 5, 1853. ("Congressional Globe," 82d Cong., 2d Session, p. 516.) A message was received from the House of Representatives by Mr. Hayes, its Chief Clerk, announcing that it concurred in the resolution of the Senate respecting the mode of counting the vote for President and Vice-President of the United States, and had appointed Mr. George W. Jones, of Tennessee, and Mr. Chandler, of Pennsylvania, tellers on their part. IN SENATE. Tuesday, February 8, 1853. ("Congressional Globe," 32d Cong., 2d Session, p. 549.) The twelfth amendment to the Constitution of the United States provides that the electo ral colleges shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President and Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, "which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted; the person having the greatest number of votes for President shall be the President, if each number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed." The same provision is applied to the election of Vice-President. The act of Congress approved March 1, 1792, section 2, provides that "the electors shall meet and give their votes on the said first Wednesday in December, at such place in each State as shall be directed by the Legislature thereof; and the electors in each State shall make and sign three certificates of all the votes by them given, and shall seal up the same, certifying on each that a list of the votes of such State for President and VicePresident is contained therein; and shall, by writing under their hands, or under the hands of a majority of them, appoint a person to take charge of and deliver to the President of the Senate, at the seat of Government before the first Wednesday in January then next ensuing, one of the said certificates; and the said electors shall forthwith forward, by the post-office, to the President of the Senate, at the seat of Government, one other of the said certificates; and shall forthwith cause the other of the said certificates to be delivered to the judge of that district in which the said electors shall assemble." A joint committee having been appointed by the Senate and House of Representatives to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, and of notifying the persons elected of their election, under these provisions of law and of the Constitution, the following resolution was reported and approved, and the tellers appointed were Mr. Hunter, of Virginia, on the part of the Senate, and Mr. George W. Jones, of Tennessee, and Mr. Joseph R. Chandler, of Pennsylvania, on the part of the House: "Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the Chamber of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the 9th instant, at twelve o'clock, and the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the presiding officer; that one person be appointed a teller on the part of the Senate, and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate pro tempore, who shall announce the state of the vote, and the persons elected, to the two Houses assembled, as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declaration of the persons elected President and Vice-President of the United States, and, together with a list of votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses." A message having been received from the House of Representatives by Mr. Forney, its Clerk, announcing that the House of Representatives was ready to receive the Senate, in conformity to the Constitution and in compliance with the order of the two Houses, for the purpose of opening and counting the votes of the electors of the several States for President and Vice-President of the United States, the Senate proceeded to the Chamber of the House of Representatives, preceded by its President and other officers. The Senators having returned to their Chamber, the President resumed the chair. Mr. HUNTER. The tellers appointed by the two Houses to count the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States have instructed me to make a further report: Resolved, That a committee of one member of the Senate be appointed by that body to join a committee of two members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the House to wait on Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, and notify him that he has been duly elected President of the United States for four years, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1853. The resolution was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to. Mr. HUNTER. I move that the President of the Senate, by unanimous consent, appoint the committee on the part of the Senate. The motion was agreed to; and Mr. Hunter was appointed. Mr. HUNTER. I am also instructed by the same committee to report the following resolution: Resolved, That the President of the Senate do cause William R. King, of Alabama, to be notified that he has been duly elected VicePresident of the United States for four years, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1853. The resolution was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to. IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, February 9, 1853. ("Congressional Globe," 32d Cong., 2d Session, pp. 519, 550.) Mr. JONES. My motion is, that the Clerk of the House inform the Senate that the House of Representatives are now ready to receive the President and members of the Senate, to count the votes for the late election of President and Vice-President of the United States, this being the day fixed by the Constitution for that purpose. The question was taken, and the motion was agreed to. The message was transmitted to the Senate. At half-past twelve o'clock the Senate, preceded by the Hon. D. R. Atchison, its Presi dent pro tempore, and its officers, entered the | Island, New York, Delaware, North Carolina, Hall of the House, to join the House of Rep- Kentucky, Louisiana, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas, resentatives in counting the votes for Presi- and California, were read by Mr. Hunter. dent and Vice-President of the United States, Those from New Hampshire, Connecticut, in conformity to the Constitution, and in pur- New Jersey, Maryland, South Carolina, Tensuance of the following joint resolution, here- nessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Michigan, and tofore adopted by the two Houses: Iowa, were read by Mr. Jones; and those from Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Florida, and Wisconsin, were read by Mr. Chandler. 66 Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the Chamber of the House of Rep resentatives on Wednesday, the 9th instant, at twelve o'clock, and the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the presiding officer; that one person he appointed a teller on the part of the Senate and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate pro tempore, who shall announce the state of the vote and the persons elected to the two Houses assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declaration of the persons elected President and Vice-President of the United States, and, together with a list of votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses." When the Senate entered the Hall of Representatives they were received by the House standing. The President pro tempore of the Senate having been conducted to the chair, the Speaker of the House (the Hon. Linn Boyd) took a seat on his left, and the Senators occupied the seats assigned to them in the area fronting the Clerk's desk. The Sergeants-at-Arms of the two Houses occupied seats on the platform, at the right and left of the Chair. The Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, the teller on the part of the Senate, and the Hon. George W. Jones and the Hon. Joseph R. Chandler, the tellers on the part of the House of Representatives, took their seats at the Clerk's desk, and were assisted on the right by Asbury Dickins, the Secretary of the Senate, and on the left by John W. Forney, the Clerk of the House. Messrs. Machin and Hickey, Clerks of the Senate, and Messrs. Hays and Barclay, Clerks of the House, acting as recording clerks, were seated at a table in front of the Clerk's desk. The two Houses being thus organized, the President pro tempore of the Senate rose and said: The Senate and House of Representatives have assembled for the purpose of counting the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States. I present to the tellers the certificates of the electoral college of the State of Maine. Mr. R. M. T. Hunter received and read the certificate, and the vote reported was duly recorded by the tellers. The tellers, having read, counted, and registered the votes of the electoral college of the thirty-one States, and compared their lists, delivered to the President pro tempore of the Senate the result, which was read by him, as follows: Statement of the Votes for President and Vice- The President pro tempore of the Senate said: Gentlemen: The whole number of electoral votes cast for President and Vice-President of the United States is 296, of which 149 are necessary to a choice. The state of the vote for President of the United States, as delivered by the tellers, is: for Franklin Pierce, of New The certificates from the States of Rhode Hampshire, 254; for Winfield Scott, of New The same proceedings were observed with reference to the certificates from the several States. Jersey, 42; and the state of the vote for Vice- | President of the United States, as delivered by the tellers, is: for William R. King, of Alabama, 254; and for William A. Graham, of North Carolina, 42. I therefore declare that Franklin Pierce, of the State of New Hampshire, having the greatest number of votes for President, and that number being a majority of the whole number of electors, has been duly elected President of the United States for four years, to commence on the 4th day of March next. I also declare that William R. King, of the State of Alabama, having the greatest number of votes for Vice-President, and that number being a majority of the whole number of electors, has been duly elected Vice-President of the United States for four years, to commence on the 4th day of March next. The business for which the joint meeting of the two Houses was convened is dispatched, and Senators will now return to their Chamber. The joint meeting of the two Houses of Congress was then dissolved, and the Senators repaired to the Senate Chamber. The Speaker then resumed the chair. Mr. Jones, of Tennessee, submitted the following resolution: Resolved, That two members of the House be appointed by that body to join a committee of one member of the Senate, to be appointed by that body, to wait on Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, and inform him that he has been duly elected President of the United States for four years, commencing on the 4th day of March, 1853. Mr. JONES. That resolution is the one usually adopted by the two Houses upon such occasions. It merely provides for the appointment of a joint committee to wait upon the President-elect, to inform him of his election. It says nothing as to informing the Vice-President of his election. The custom, upon examination, is found to have been that, when the Vice-President was in the city, or was expected to be here by the time of the inauguration, the committee would also wait upon him and inform him of his election. But it has been the universal custom, when the VicePresident elect was not at the seat of Government, for the Senate to adopt a resolution dirocting their presiding officer to cause the VicePresident elect to be informed of his election. That is the reason that this resolution does not include him. The question was then taken on the adoption of the resolution; and it was decided in the affirmative. Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. I move that the Speaker appoint the committee provided for in that resolution. The SPEAKER. Does not that follow as a matter of course? Mr. CARTER. Certainly it does. The SPEAKER. The attention of the Chair has been called to the resolution just adopted. From its language, the Chair cannot appoint the committee unless directed by the House. Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. I move that the Chair appoint the committee named in the resolution. The question was taken, and the motion was decided in the affirmative. A message was here received from the Senate by the hands of Asbury Dickins, its Secretary, informing the House that the Senate had passed a resolution that a committee of one member of the Senate be appointed by that body to join a committee of two members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the House, to wait upon Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, to notify him that he has been duly elected President of the United States for four years, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1853, and that Mr. Hunter had been appointed such committee on the part of the Senate. Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. I move that the message be taken up and concurred in. The motion was agreed to, and the resolution concurred in. Mr. JONES. I move that the Speaker appoint the committee. The SPEAKER. The House has already ordered the committee to be appointed by the Chair. Mr. JONES. Our resolution has not yet gone to the Senate, and it will not be necessary to send it, as the Senate resolution has been concurred in, and the Speaker can appoint the committee under this Senate resolution. The motion of Mr. Jones was agreed to, and the Speaker appointed Messrs. George W. Jones and Harry Hibbard as such committee on the part of the House. EIGHTEENTH PRESIDENTIAL TERM. 1857-1861. JAMES BUCHANAN, Tresident; JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, Vice-President. IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday, February 2, 1857. ("Congressional Globe," XXXIVth Cong., 3d Session, p. 688.) A message was received from the Senate by Mr. DICKINS, its Secretary, notifying the House that the Senate had passed a resolution constituting a committee of three members, to join such committee as might be appointed by the House of Representatives, to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, and of notifying the persons elected of their election; and had appointed Mr. Bigler, Mr. Benjamin, and Mr. Foot, the committee on the part of the Senate. Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. I move that a committee of five be appointed by the Chair, in conformity with the resolution of the Sen ate. The motion was agreed to. IN SENATE. Monday, February 2, 1857. Wednesday, February 4, 1857. Gongressional Globe," XXXIVth Cong., 3d Session, p. 568.) Mr. BIGLER, from the joint committee appointed by the Senate and House of Representatives, to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and VicePresident of the United States, and of notifying the persons elected of their election, reported the following resolution: Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the Chamber of the House of Representatives on ("Congressional Globe," XXXIVth Cong., 3d Ses- Wednesday, the 11th instant, at twelve o'clock, and sion, p. 543.) Mr. BIGLER. I discover, on looking over the history of presidential elections, that it has been the custom, on the 31st day of January preceding a presidential inauguration, to raise a committee in each branch of Congress for the purpose of examining into the mode of counting and determining the votes for President. With a view to that purpose, I offer the following resolution: Resolved, That a committee be appointed, to join such committee as may be appointed by the House of Representatives, to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, and of notifying the persons elected of their election. The resolution was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to. Mr. BIGLER. I suggest that the committee consist of three members. It was so ordered; and the President pro tempore appointed, on the part of the Senate, as members of the committee, Messrs. Bigler, Benjamin, and Foot. IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, February 3, 1857. ("Congressional Globe," XXXIVth Cong., 3d Session, p. 558.) The SPEAKER appointed Messrs. Jones of Tennessee, Washburn of Maine, Fuller of Pennsylvania, Leiter, and Bocock, a commit the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the presiding officer; that one person be appointed a teller on the part of the Senate, and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate pro tempore, who shall announce the state of the vote and the persons elected, to the two Houses assembled; which shall be deemed a declaration of the persons elected President and Vice-President of the United States, and, together with a list of votes, entered on the Journals of the two Houses. The resolution was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to. IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, February 5, 1857. "Congressional Globe," XXXIVth Cong., 3d Session, p. 587.) A message was received from the Senate, by ASBURY DICKINS, its Secretary, informing the House that the Senate had adopted the following resolution, reported by the joint committee appointed by the Senate and House of Representatives to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and VicePresident of the United States, and of notifying the persons elected of their election: Resolved, That the two Houses will asssemble in the Chamber of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the 11th instant, at twelve o'clock, and the President of the Senate pro tempore shall be the teller on the part of the Senate, and two on the part presiding officer; that one person be appointed a of the House of Representatives, to make a list of |